I am always interested
to know what influences clients in their choice of lawyer.
I was brought up in
the days when solicitors were banned from advertising and all work was
introduced by word of mouth, previous clients or just having a ‘shop front’
office on the High Street. That has of course now changed beyond all
recognition since the advertising ban was lifted and the introduction of
referral fees, which saw some firms buying in cases at an industrial level.
All of this is likely
to change again with the proposed ban on referral fees and the arrival of the
ABS which brings well known brands into the market. So what will influence
peoples’ choice?
According to a report
on the legal futures web site a significant majority will look online. The
figure is 68% overall but rises to 75% in the 18 – 44 age range –
Interestingly a
similar number of clients in the younger group, would look to supermarkets for legal advice.
This is certainly a
challenge to those of us working in traditional law firms. But it should be
seen as a challenge rather than a threat. Firms need to seriously examine where
they need to change rather than simply bury their heads and wait for the worst
to happen.
The main concerns
about lawyers relate to cost and communication.
There is no doubt that
there will be a reduction in the fees that can be charged. The expectations of
business clients combined with impending changes to personal injury claims,
make this inevitable. The days of the hourly rate are numbered. Fixed fees are
the future, whether we like it or not.
So there will be a
need to have that part of the work which involves process – more than you think
– done by non lawyers and by using effective technology. The lawyers then focus
on the work which requires their expertise. So a greater number of cases will
be done; at a lower overall cost.
Social media is the
key to better communication. I recently heard of a survey where only 5% of
clients wanted their lawyers to communicate by letter. Facebook, Twitter and
emails are how people speak to each other in the real world.
Those new providers of
legal services will embrace this – most have been doing it for years. Those
lawyers who embrace this change can hope to compete. Good luck to the rest!
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